New GPU Particles and goodbye to PhysX FX!

[[DE]Rebecca 162,430]

Since Warframe began, our PhysX Particles have not been 'one size fits all'. They've been tied to specific GPUs, never on console, and it's been a visually delightful but imbalanced experience. The next Mainline update (this May) will see "Nvidia PhysX Effects" become a new, universal & proprietary experience: "GPU Particles". Read on for the Why, How, and When!

Why?
The latest version of PhysX (the physics framework that Warframe uses to simulate the world) is dropping support for the physics particle simulation feature. So in order to be able to take advantage of the many performance and stability improvements that Nvidia has made to PhysX over recent years, we're making a new particle system solution ourselves! This new GPU Particle system will be less RAM intensive, work on all Platforms, AND be completely optional!

How?
We are converting the main PhysX items to our new GPU Particle system. We'll have many particle FX converted at launch, but will spend some time continuing to upgrade our catalog throughout the year. Our new system is universal, works on almost all GPUs (really old ones might be out of luck), is not locked to a given manufacturer, and is not locked to PC!

When?
We expect to have Mainline with GPU Particles on PC mid-May! Consoles can expect GPU Particles soon after PC.

Bonus: What?
Now I’m sure you’re wondering how all of this will look! Here are our new GPU Particles in action.

A particle burst from our tests in April. You can see them interact with the environment as they hit the floor:

Added more features earlier this month! GPU Particles respond to game physics and gravity

More refined particle physics: GPU Particles respond to explosions and collisions


Beautiful visuals. All platforms. This month! This is shaping up to be a particle-arly lovely update 😉 Thanks for playing Warframe!

[Stoner 7,151]

Looks better than PhysX ❤️

[MirageKnight 4,296]

Huzzah - thanks for the heads up Rebecca!

[RAZORLIGHT 1,115]

finally no more blackbox effects aka physx

[Wolf_Walker 126]

Dreams coming true.

EDIT: Glitter fart dream coming true!!!

Edited May 2 by Wolf_Walker

[xXDeadsinxX 7,402]

Can’t wait!

[DJ_Vauban 3,105]

8 minutes ago, [DE]Rebecca said:

snip

 

Hm..."Mainline update" ...do I smell the sacrifice?

Edited May 2 by DJ_Vauban

[MirageKnight 4,296]

1 minute ago, DJ_Vauban said:

 

Hm..."Mainline update" ...do I smell the sacrifice?

We can only hope.

[Gabriel_98 269]

Awesome!!

[Aldrr 374]

Ah yes the famous "glitter f*rt," I remember that tweet >.< Joking aside, the whole effort put into building this new particle system is astounding! And it'll be a universal in-house solution regardless of platform, independent from the "Red vs Green"! Looking forward to going over my entire arsenal to see how things have changed 

Edited May 2 by Aldrr

[Aeon94 1,223]

Nice !!! *hype thrusters are activated*

[--Q--Dioxety 1,766]

Also, Steve said the sacrifice would be the first to use the new particle system.

 

... sacrifice hype?

 

[MunsuLight 549]

I,m just hoping that this new particle system wont be bad for lower end pc like mine ..  But it seems great ^^

[dioniso7 64]

Amazing news! Thank you for it! 

[Phatose 6,735]

So, is this limited to visuals only, or can it be used for other purposes?  Might theoretically be useful for more interesting hit detection on the Ignis, for example.

[kyori 2,742]

26 minutes ago, [DE]Rebecca said:

The next Mainline update (this May) 

 This new GPU Particle system will be less RAM intensive,

Sacrifice quest!!!

Yes... ram memory is my biggest issue. I'm crossing my fingers that this change won't cause another Harrow Crisis.

[xD_1712 51]

 

Edited May 2 by xD_1712

[PsiWarp 7,157]

28 minutes ago, [DE]Rebecca said:

A particle burst

Reb, you misspelled glitter fart!

[Aldrr 374]

35 minutes ago, xD_1712 said:

 

 

1 hour ago, [DE]Rebecca said:

When?
We expect to have Mainline with GPU Particles on PC mid-May! Consoles can expect GPU Particles soon after PC.

Huh do we have hinty hint here for a Sacrifice release window? :3

(wishful thinking ^^ and no, please don't rush it, have it "bake in the oven" as long as it has to)

Edited May 2 by Aldrr

[NightmareT12 7,997]

It's finally time I end up turning them off then. I still remember the day I enabled PhysX for the first time on December 2013 after I bought a new PC only because of Warframe. Man it's been a long ride.

Edited May 2 by NightmareT12

[Koldraxon-732 1,484]

@[DE]Rebecca, I've been watching @[DE]Steve on Twitter fiddling with them, and I believe this video will give you quite the flashback. It's in the spoiler so my post doesn't clutter the forum.

Spoiler

...In my opinion, a new wave of trailer cinematics should be created, but trying to stay close to these older ones, but that can come after Sacrifice, or even Venus.

That said, I am eagerly looking forward to a cosmetic set made purely from these new particles.

 

[KelsierSurvivor 606]

1 hour ago, DJ_Vauban said:

 

Hm..."Mainline update" ...do I smell the sacrifice?

Steve said they would come with The Sacrifice, so I think it might be safe to hype ourselves JUST a little bit. 

[SordidDreams 703]

1 hour ago, [DE]Rebecca said:

particle-arly

Oof. 😠

[DarkDullahan 404]

After 3 long years of waiting, we now officially commandeer GPU particle workshop as Umbra hypethread!!!!

[Redfeather75 231]

Any time Steve talks about this I get really excited as it's literally a game changer to me. The artists of this game are very talented and this type of thing can be so powerful in the hands of creative and talented artists. ❤️ it!